Top 25 Star Wars Heroes: Day 3

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More Jedi and one really cantankerous droid join the ranks.

By Jesse Schedeen

Here at IGN Stars, we're starting to feel the heat of Star Wars fever once again. It's a feeling that never truly goes away, and yet there's plenty for Star Wars fans to be excited about in the coming months.

This week sees the debut of a new CG animated Star Wars movie – The Clone Wars. This movie is only the beginning of a planned 100-episode TV series. On top of that, The Force Unleashed hits all major consoles at the end of September.

We wanted some way to celebrate this resurgence of Star Wars fever, and we thought of just the thing. You may remember our countdown of the top 15 Star Wars villains from earlier in the summer. It seemed only right that we revisit that galaxy far, far away and count down our favorite heroes.

This time, we're counting down from 25. There are just too many worthy characters to settle for anything less. Each day this week we'll bring you another set of five. Today we continue with numbers 15-11.

Why we love her: Though she didn't survive the end of Episode III, Padme Amidala's influence can be felt in later chapters. This former queen and senator of Naboo is well respected as a political figure well after her death. And though few people are aware of it, her greatest contribution was her twin children, Luke and Leia.

When asked about her mother, Leia vaguely described her as, "Very beautiful. Kind, but sad." These are all apt descriptions, and yet, in the prime of her life Amidala was so much more. She also had a feisty side that helped her when she became Naboo's youngest queen ever. This inner strength, along with her beauty, is what drew the affections of Anakin Skywalker.

Against all her better judgment, Amidala fell in love with Anakin and the two secretly wed after the beginning of the Clone Wars. While Anakin traveled the galaxy and fought in endless battles, Amidala remained on Coruscant and campaigned for peace.

Eventually, Amidala became pregnant. The young couple were both exhilarated and terrified at the prospect of children. Unfortunately, neither were able to experience a life of familial bliss. Anakin fell to darkness and mortally wounded his wife out of misplaced anger. Just before her death, Amidala gave birth to twins. Anakin spent decades believing he had killed his entire family in one blow, and it wasn't until the very end that he learned otherwise.

Defining moment of heroism: When the Trade Federation invaded Naboo, most royal figures would have simply given up and surrendered. Not Amidala. She escaped the planet with her Jedi companions and fled to Coruscant. After imploring the Galactic Senate for aid, she hopped right back in her ship and returned to join the front lines of the resistance. Sure, it was all part of Palpatine's sinister plan, but Amidala's actions were brave and admirable just the same.

Trivia: Luke and Leia spent decades knowing nothing at all about their mother's identity. Leia even unknowingly served in the Galactic Senate alongside Amidala's niece, and a portrait of the late queen hung in the halls of the Imperial Palace for years.